35 Unclaimed Veterans Finally Interred

On June 15, 2018, 35 veterans were finally interred at the Southern Nevada Veterans’ Memorial Cemetery. The remains of these veterans had languished unclaimed in mortuary vaults for as long as 44 years. But thanks to the Missing in Nevada Project, its coordinator Lunda Freeman and researcher Sue Gill, these veterans were finally identified and given the honored rest that they had earned.

The ceremony was hosted by The Nevada Department of Veterans Services and its Director Kat Miller and coordinated by the Nevada Veterans Coalition. The Coalition provided a color guard and firing squad to lay these veterans to rest with appropriate dignity.

The majority of the veterans so honored on June 15 had served in World War II, but there was one World War I veteran in the group. The urns were presented one by one and displayed on two tables in front of the flags of the United States, Nevada, POW/MIA and all the Armed Forces.

During her address, Kat Miller noted that these veterans had not lived marginal lives or been anything other than productive members of society. They had simply outlived those who had loved them.

After prayers and addresses, each urn was respectfully conducted to the vaults by a current or former member of the veteran’s service. As each urn was placed in its individual niche, the name and service of the veteran was announced.